It'll never happen

[crossref]

not golf skills???

 

[Bunniksider]

not golf skills???

A sense of fashion bypass maybe?

 

[Ian_Cook]

Bugger. My first thought was penalty shot for it hitting him, but it didn't seem equitable when it was stopped and flew out of no where without warning.

So if the player was searching for his ball in a hazard or obstruction it's ok to move it (unintentionally) provided the ball was not in motion.

Yep. If the ball is hidden and stationary, and you move itl by accident while trying to find it, then no penalty and you must replace the ball as near as possible to where it was, no closer to the hole.

Except sometimes golf rules have a bigger range to interpretation than rugby laws!!

True but the cool thing about the Rules of Golf is the "Decisions on the Rules of Golf". When an interpretation of the Rules has to be made by the USPGA or the R&A, it goes in this book. Then if that situation comes up again, there is a definitive ruling. Its like iRB Clarifications on steroids. To date there are over 1,200 rulings in the book

The book is published annually (online updates as they happen)

its so completely the OPPOSITE of what common sense would tell you ...

- walk around searching for your ball and accidentally kick it : Instinct would tell me that's a penalty (bad luck, be more careful next time)
- passing under a tree and your ball falls on to your head : Instinct (and fair play!) would tell me no penalty, but WTF? it's 1 stroke.

Not really. Its a ball in motion, that is the clue. Its unlucky, but no more so that a ball bouncing off a tree and hitting you your equipment or your playing partner or his equipment.